peach

1 of 2

noun

ˈpēch 

1

a

: a low spreading freely branching Chinese tree (Prunus persica) of the rose family that has lanceolate leaves and sessile usually pink flowers and is widely cultivated in temperate areas for its edible fruit which is a single-seeded drupe with a hard central stone, a pulpy white or yellow flesh, and a thin fuzzy skin

b

: the edible fruit of the peach

2

: a moderate yellowish pink

3

: one resembling a peach (as in sweetness, beauty, or excellence)

peach

2 of 2

verb

peached; peaching; peaches

transitive verb

: to inform against : betray

intransitive verb

: to turn informer : blab

Did you know?

If you guessed that the origin of this verb peach has something to do with a slightly fuzzy fruit, you are unfortunately incorrect. The fruit peach is an unrelated word that traces back to the Latin phrase malum persicum, literally meaning "Persian fruit." The verb blossomed from Middle English apechen ("to accuse"), itself an offspring of the Anglo-French verbs apecher and empecher, both meaning "to ensnare." Empecher is also an ancestor of the English verb impeach, meaning "to bring an accusation against." Both of these English verbs can be traced back to Latin impedicare, meaning "to shackle the feet," and that word is itself rooted in ped-, pes, meaning "foot."

Synonyms of peach

Noun

• beauty
• dream
• something else
• daisy
• pippin

Examples of peach in a Sentence

Noun

fondly remembers his old Studebaker as being a peach of a car

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This is the most important maintenance time for deciduous fruit trees like peaches, nectarines, Pluots, Apriums, apples and others that drop their leaves in winter. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2025

Go the seasonal route with a woody fir-like scent or opt for a sweet peach and peony aroma. —Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 1 Dec. 2025

This iconic perfume features top notes of citrus, vanilla and peach, with heart notes of sandalwood, oakmoss, jasmine, cedar and rose, for a truly sophisticated fragrance. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025

Moonlight Companies recalled white and yellow peaches on November 9 due to concerns that they were contaminated with Listeria. —Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English peche, from Anglo-French pesche, peche (the fruit), from Late Latin persica, from Latin (malum) persicum, literally, Persian fruit

Verb

Middle English pechen, short for apechen to accuse, from Anglo-French apecher, empecher to ensnare — more at impeach

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1560, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing peach

• green peach aphid
• lesser peach tree borer
• peach fuzz
• peach leaf curl
• peach tree borer

Rhymes for peach

• beach
• beech
• bleach
• breach
• breech
• each
• keech
• leach
• leech
• meech
• preach
• reach

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Kids Definition

peach

noun

ˈpēch

1

: a sweet juicy fruit with white or yellow flesh, a thin fuzzy skin, and a single seed enclosed in a rough stony covering that is produced by a low spreading Chinese tree related to the plums and cherries and grown in most temperate areas

also : this tree

2

: a moderate yellowish pink